WEDDINGS

Anglican Parish of Lloydtown
WEDDINGS

Congratulations. Preparing for your wedding is an exciting time in one’s life.

Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between two adults made in the presence of God. In the Anglican Church it is required that one, at least, of the parties must be a baptized Christian; that the ceremony be attested to by at least two witnesses; and that the marriage conform to the laws of the Province and the canons of this Church. If either of you has not been baptized, this can be arranged prior to the wedding.

St. Mary Magdalene’s and Christ Church are beautiful locations for your wedding.

Now that you are beginning to make plans for your wedding, we want the preparations to go as smoothly as possible for you. Many of your questions will be answered when you read the following guidelines and fee schedule, but you will have the opportunity to discuss all of the details of your ceremony with the priest who will officiate at your wedding.

The First Steps

All prospective couples need to speak with the Rector (or designate) in order to initiate the wedding preparation process. The parish priest, either the Incumbent, cannot agree to perform any marriage ceremony until he/she has met both of you and is satisfied that you are eligible for marriage. Under normal circumstances at least 90 days notice must be given before the marriage takes place.

If the Parish of Lloydtown is your church home, great! If not, it is important that we get to know each other. We invite you to come and experience our worship, fellowship and community events. Introduce yourselves to the clergy and people of the parish. As a couple, finding a church home is one way to build up your relationship and create support systems that will be life-giving to both of you.

The Marriage of Divorced Persons

If either or both of you have been previously married, plans for your wedding cannot be confirmed until the officiating priest has seen the Certificate(s) of Divorce.
Pre-marital and Pastoral Counseling

The canons (rules and regulations) of the Church require that each couple preparing for marriage in the Anglican Church must undergo pre-marital counseling. Clergy cannot marry couples who have not completed pre-marital counseling.

All are required to attend a Marriage Preparation Seminar or counseling before marriage. You should plan to do this as soon as you have reserved the date for your wedding ceremony so that you can attend one before you get too caught up in taking care of all of the other details of your wedding.

The recommended course can be found at www.marriageprep.com; please send a copy of your certificate to the Parish Administrator when you have completed the course. It can be completed at a weekend seminar or as a webinar. The cost is about $150, which is an inexpensive investment into a strong marriage.

If you should choose to work with a different pre-marital counselor (whether a priest or a therapist), you must provide their contact information to the clergy.

Wedding Policies and Guidelines
Scheduling

Weddings are normally scheduled between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm on weekdays and Saturdays.

Sunday weddings may be scheduled only with permission from the Incumbent of the Church.

Weddings are not normally scheduled during the season of Advent (the four weeks preceding Christmas), Lent (the forty days preceding Easter) or on major holidays.

The Officiating Priest and the Liturgy

All weddings in the Anglican Parish of Lloydtown will conform to the rules and practices of the Anglican Church of Canada. The vows exchanged will come from the authorized texts.

It is normative that a priest of the parish staff officiates at the ceremony. Other diocesan clergy are welcome to officiate, with the permission of the incumbent. The participation of guest clergy will be determined by the officiating priest.

There are two liturgies to choose between; one includes eucharist and one does not.

Marriage Licence

A marriage licence must be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall not more than three months before the wedding. One of you must be a resident of the Province of Ontario for a minimum of three weeks prior to obtaining it.

The licence, along with the fees, should be brought into the church office at least two weeks before the date of your wedding ceremony.Your wedding (or rehearsal) cannot take place if the licence and/or fees have not been received.

The Rehearsal

Rehearsals are directed by the officiating priest and will last approximately 45 minutes. The rehearsal time must be scheduled with input from the officiating priest.

Photographs and videos of the rehearsal are discouraged. However, photographers and videographers are welcome to attend the rehearsal to receive instructions from the officiating priest.

Decorations and Flowers

Installations of artworks within the Church will not be removed for weddings.

Bows are permitted on the pews.

For safety and aesthetic reasons, aisle runners are not permitted.

Please notify guests that throwing confetti, rice, birdseed or rose petals, or blowing bubbles or releasing balloons is not permitted, either inside the Church.

Photography and Videotaping

You may engage a professional photographer to take pictures during the processions and the signing of the register.

Because Christian marriage is a solemn and sacred rite, photography during the ceremony is strongly discouraged, and use of flash is strictly forbidden. Prayer requires concentration and attention.

It is permissible to video tape the marriage ceremony, but the person doing the video taping must remain in the same place throughout the service, as directed by the officiating priest. This person should be in place fifteen minutes prior to the ceremony. If your videographer is a family friend, it is a good idea for him/her to come to the rehearsal so as to become familiar with the surroundings before the day of your ceremony.

Schedule of Fees for Weddings:

St. Mary Magdalene’s, Schomberg: $500

Christ Church, Kettleby:Church: $500 for the Church and $1000 for the church and hall for reception

The dates and times for both the rehearsal and the wedding ceremony are not reserved until a deposit of $150 has been received – 75% of the deposit will be refunded if the wedding is cancelled at least 3 months prior to the date that has been reserved.

AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE WEDDING, A CHEQUE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FEES, ALONG WITH THE LICENCE, MUST BE BROUGHT INTO THE CHURCH OFFICE

Assisting Clergy:
Determined in consultation with assisting clergy.

Soloist:
As arranged with the church organist
Contact Information:

Anglican Parish of Lloydtown
116 Church St.
Schomberg, ON
L0G 1T0
s.ashworth@rogers.com